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Nearly $200,000 Awarded as Requests Pour In

NEW GRANTS

Dad Targeted while in Sanctuary $5447 for computer equipment, sports programs and summer camps for four children, ages nine to 19, whose father is an immigrants’ rights leader. Since being denied a stay of deportation and entering sanctuary, DHS and ICE officials have escalated threats and pressure against him. Location withheld

Father Deported $3600 for summer programs and a Carry it Forward (CIF) award[1] for three children, ages 11-24, whose father has been on the front lines of immigration advocacy for over a decade. He was picked up by ICE in an apparent act of retaliation for his leadership in the movement, deported despite having a pending case and is now unable to provide for his family. Location withheld

Mom Faces Retaliation for Immigrants’ Rights Advocacy $3000 for childcare and summer camp for the two sons, ages two and nine, whose mother became a vocal activist from sanctuary. She was granted a temporary stay of deportation and rejoined her community for a summer before having to re-enter sanctuary to keep her family together. Then the boys’ father, previously unknown to ICE, was detained in apparent retaliation for his wife’s activism. She and her support network continue to face harassment by ICE. Location withheld

Youth Threatened by Alt-Right $1600 for a Targeted Activist Youth (TAY) Development grant[2] and CIF award for the 24-year-old who was arrested for protesting in DC. They were pepper-sprayed, beaten and charged with felonies despite having committed no crime. They have been doxxed and threatened by an alt-right group, causing them mental and emotional distress and forcing them to change contact information and take security precautions. DE

Food Justice Organizer Pushed Out $1500 for school tuition for the seven-year-old son whose mother opened a restaurant in a food desert that offered free workshops and produce from its on-site farm, meals for the homeless, space for organizers and jobs for underserved youth. She lost everything when the owners of the building illegally ended her lease after expressing disapproval of her clientele. GA

Community Advocate Tortured $1116 for summer programming for the eight-year-old boy whose grandmother was detained with her daughter by law enforcement in their home country for organizing to provide health services, food and care for local people. She was physically and psychologically tortured before fleeing to the US. She is the primary caretaker for her grandson and ill daughter, who both live with her. IL

Black Lives Matter Activist Faces Backlash $1000 Development grant for the TAY who has organized around racial justice and the school to prison pipeline since age 13. As he’s gained local notoriety, law enforcement has increased pressure on him, including holding him in a police van for 6+ hours in flex cuffs without access to water or the restroom after detaining him at a peaceful demonstration. MD

Children Murdered $600 for summer camp for the 11-year-old girl whose siblings were killed and whose father was tortured for prioritizing the education of his daughters under a violent, misogynistic regime. The family was persecuted after moving to another country and ultimately sought refuge in the US. IL

CIVIL LIBERTIES

Activist Mother Forced to Find Another job $4425 for school tuition and gymnastics for three children, ages 12 to 16, whose mother’s support for an arrested Muslim caused her boss to pressure her to find a job where she’d “feel more at home.” GA

Mother Blacklisted $1500 for tutoring for the 14-year-old son whose mother was prevented from finding a job in her field after she pushed her employer to stand by their professed values of equality and inclusion. MI

Father Fired for Reporting the Truth $1100 for sports equipment and programming for the 18-year-old son whose father, an independent journalist, was fired and blacklisted for expressing progressive views and covering controversial topics. MN

CIVIL RIGHTS & RACIAL JUSTICE

Families Targeted for Anti-Racism Activism $15,000 for summer camp, tuition and community programs for eight kids, ages six to 13, from four families, whose fathers have all faced repression for their racial justice organizing. Two have lost jobs, one has been arrested more than 40 times, others have faced surveillance, arrest and harassment. CO, GA

Racial Justice Advocates Blacklisted $7900 for educational support and sports camp for five children, ages seven to 16, from two families, whose mothers were both targeted for their anti-racism organizing in the workplace, fired without cause and have been blacklisted in their fields. GA, OK

Grandmother Stripped of Nation Standing $7500 for summer camp, music lessons, orthodontia and computers for five children, ages 10 to 17, whose grandmother and guardian organized for reform within her Nation’s tribal leadership. She was eventually forced out of her job and had her services and benefits as a Nation member revoked. IN

Family Threatened by KKK $3225 for school tuition, driver’s ed and computers for three children, ages 14 to 18, of an activist who received death threats from the Klan for her efforts to desegregate a public housing complex. OR

Mother Beaten and Pepper-Sprayed $1600 for summer camp and a CIF award for the 17-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter whose mother, an African American community organizer, was targeted by the local police. GA

Family Forced to Move $1500 for educational support for the 16-year-old son whose family was targeted by local officials and had to relocate twice after his mother had prominent roles in several high-profile racial justice campaigns. CA

Father Jailed for Documenting Police Murder $1500 for childcare for the five-year-old son whose father is incarcerated on trumped up charges after filming and disseminating his footage of an officer killing an un­armed individual. NV

Organizer Serving 28 Years $1000 for summer camp for the 15-year-old daughter whose father was a leader of an orga­nization committed to black and brown unity, and human and civil rights. He was convicted of racketeering and sentenced to decades in prison despite maintaining his innocence. NC

ENVIRONMENTAL & ANIMAL RIGHTS

Parents Fight for Better Environment, Racial Equality $19,600 for cultural and educational programs and a CIF award for 14 children, ages two to 20, from four families. Some parents were beaten and arrested while marching against environmental racism, others were attacked and/or imprisoned for their community organizing. DC, CA, GA

Environmental Racism Activists Targeted $4720 for summer camp and dance and music lessons for the five kids, ages 10-18, from three families whose parents and guardians are organizing against processing plants being placed in their predominantly black communities. A lawsuit filed by one company names one of the women, and all three have been harassed by local officials. AL, PA

Families Fear Physical Harm $2500 for childcare and physical therapy for two sons, ages four and eight, from two families, both of which have faced intimidation and violent threats for their work to protect the environment. One family’s dog was poisoned, another had their home address published. LA,OR

Activities for Children of Native American Environmental Activist $2000 for music classes and travel to cultural ceremonies for the 15-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son whose father was jailed for destroying traps set for mountain lions. MI

GENDER EQUALITY, LGBTQ & REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Mother Threatened with Loss of Son $3000 for school tuition and equine therapy for two siblings, ages 10 and 18, whose mother, an LGBTQ rights activist, was threatened by the state with the removal of her son because of her organizing. OR

Daughters Assaulted $2000 for school tuition for the 11 and 16-year-old children whose family had to flee their home country after their mother and two sisters were brutalized for the mom’s working against female genital mutilation. NY

Young Human Rights Activist Persecuted $1600 for a Development grant and CIF award for the 23-year-old TAY who was detained by her home country’s government after speaking out at the UN against female genital mutilation. She is seeking asylum in the U.S. while continuing her studies and activism. MA

Mother Fights to End Torture $387 for volleyball camp for the 13-year-old daughter whose mother provided advocacy and assistance to women whose rights had been violated in their home country. She was detained and arrested before seeking refuge in the U.S. IL

HUMAN RIGHTS

Mother Attacked $4000 for gymnastics and summer camps for two daughters, ages 13 and 14, whose mother organized against government corruption in her home nation. She came to the U.S. after the military harassed and assaulted her. IL

Fathers Tortured $2345 for educational support and martial arts classes for the 13 and 16-year-old daughters from two families whose dads, now living in the U.S., were tortured for publicly denouncing the human rights violations in their home countries. IL

Mother Forced to Flee Country $1400 for school tuition and summer camp for the son, age 10, whose mother was forced to leave their home country after witnessing the assassination of a doctor. She supported his efforts for patients’ rights to health care; after the murder, soldiers killed the other witness and assaulted her. IL

LABOR & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

Moms Fired for Advocacy $4525 for summer camp and school tuition for three kids, ages six to 10, from two families whose mothers were both fired because of organizing efforts on the job. One fought for fair working practices and the other on behalf of students with special needs. GA, MS

Father Disabled by Police Beating $4500 for childcare for three siblings, ages seven to eight, whose father, a whistleblower for worker and consumer safety, was laid off and harassed, then arrested and attacked by police. Despite multiple surgeries, he is incapacitated and partially paralyzed. MA

Sons Flee with Mother $2430 for voice lessons and educational programming for two sons, ages 14 and 17, whose mother was threatened with prison for trying to address the needs of low-income families. TX

Mother Organized After Katrina $2377 for orthodontia and summer camp for the son and daughter, ages 11 and 15, whose mother was a leader in the movement demanding the right for residents to return to their public housing units after the storm. In retaliation, she was harassed and jailed on false assault charges. LA

Union Dad Imprisoned $2000 for after-school activities and sports and recreational programs for the 14-year-old son whose father, a labor organizer, was the co-founder of an immigrants’ rights collective and an outspoken critic of the Afghanistan and Iraq occupations. He was arrested on politically motivated charges and has been in prison since 2012. FL

Son of COINTELPRO Target Harassed $1500 for childcare for the 2-year-old son of a community activist targeted for his organizing efforts on behalf of students, homeless individuals and low-income communities. GA

PEACE

Children and Parents Working Together for Peace $19,023 for summer camp, music lessons, educational support and a CIF award for 15 children, ages one to 18, from seven families who are members of pacifist communities. Parents and teenage children have engaged in peaceful anti-war protests and many of the parents have been imprisoned for civil disobedience. CA, ME, NC, NY, OK, VA

Anti-War Muslim Activists Targeted $7300 for educational support, three CIF awards and two Attica Fund Prison Visit grants[3] for the 10 children, ages 12 to 24, of two Muslim men convicted of terrorist-related money laundering after an FBI sting targeting them for their public anti-war activities and support for a local Mosque. NY

Father Forced to Leave Country $6000 for school tuition for the four children, ages six to 16, whose dad established an interfaith mosque to counteract society’s negative bias towards Muslims in the post-9/11 era. He faced harassment and detention by the FBI and local law enforcement. He chose to leave the U.S. to end his family’s and his own persecution. NY

Dad Charged for Protesting with his Children $3582 for three children, ages 13 to 17, whose father was arrested at a peaceful demonstration with his kids. He faced additional charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for bringing his children with him to the event. NC

Support for Children of Torture Survivors $3,500 for a group grant for therapy for kids whose activist parents survived torture in their home countries. The program serves 11 children, ages three to 18, from six refugee families in which at least one parent was a pro-democracy activist. IL

Parents Fight to Stop Grand Jury Witch Hunts $2620 for summer camp and sports programs for the 13 and 14-year-old daughters from two families. The parents are members of peace and international solidarity groups who've refused to testify before grand juries investigating whether these activists should be charged with providing material support for terrorism. IL, MN

Conscientious Objectors Jailed $2578 for computers and educational support for the three kids, ages 12-15, from two families, whose fathers both refused deployment to Iraq, served time, and are still facing financial and other repercussions. CO, QC

Five Years for Demonstrating $2300 for a computer, textbooks and a CIF award for the 19-year-old daughter whose father was imprisoned for protesting the Navy’s use of Vieques as a bombing range. PR

Father Refuses to be Silenced $1700 for a computer for the 17-year-old daughter whose dad survived a year in a concentra­tion camp. He testified against his captors despite receiving numerous death threats. IL

PRISONERS’ RIGHTS / U.S. POLITICAL PRISONERS

Sons of Political Prisoners Targeted $10,100 for tuition, tutoring and counseling for seven kids, ages four to 17, from two families whose fathers are both children of political prisoners. Their activism on behalf of political prisoners’ rights has resulted in police harassment and workplace termination. GA, PA

Mother Threatened for Helping Prisoners $3000 for cultural programs for the four and seven-year-old sons whose mother created an alternative program for inmates at a federal penitentiary. She was accused of conspiring with a political prisoner and threatened with prosecution. NY

Former Political Prisoner Faces Ongoing Harassment $3000 for school tuition for the 10-year-old twins whose father was incarcerated for anti-apartheid efforts and continues to face ongoing targeting for his work to free political prisoners. MA

Dad Punished for Anti-Prison Art $2140 for science summer camp for the five and nine-year-old daughters who were harassed by guards because their incarcerated father advocates for prison abolition in his poetry and writing. His views have resulted in his transfer away from his family and prolonged periods without access to visits, calls or canteen. CO

Mother Harassed for Giving Prisoners A Voice $1900 for educational support, a computer and two CIF awards for four siblings, ages 15 to 19, whose mother spoke out against inhumane treatment of prisoners while she was incarcerated. She continues to organize despite experiencing significant physical and verbal harassment from prison guards and officials. AL

CIF AWARDS

$3200 for seven CIF awards for five beneficiaries, ages 19 through 21, from four families, for books, computers and other educational materials. Their parents fought for peace and human rights. GA, IL, NY, WA

[1]CIF awards of $600 are given to 18 to 24-year-olds to help pay for the costs associated with col­lege or similar programs designed to prepare them for adult life

[2]Development grants of up to $1000 are given to TAY to further their education, support their emotional needs or develop their organizing skills

[3]Attica Fund Prison Visit grants enable the children and grandchildren of political prisoners to visit their jailed loved ones

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